The present invention relates to a connecting device which can be used for connecting adjacent barrier sections. However this should not be seen as limiting as the device may also have other applications.
For ease of reference only the present invention will now be described in relation to a connecting device used to connect adjacent temporary barrier sections. Temporary barrier sections are well known in the art and are typically used in relation to roading applications for separating traffic from pedestrians or for separating lanes of traffic from one another.
The present invention has particular application to a temporary barrier such as is disclosed in WO2008147230.
One of the key advantages of the barrier detailed in WO 2008147230 is the fact that a user can select in any given case for adjacent barrier sections whether a connection between the adjacent barrier sections is to create a pivotable, or fixed in-line, relationship between the barrier sections. Previous barrier sections could only create, one or other, of a fixed or pivotable connection, and could not switch between both, depending on the requirements of the user and barrier they were creating, from the barrier sections.
However, one potential improvement the applicant has realised that could be made to the barrier of WO 2008147230 is to make it easier to switch a connection from a pivotable connection to a fixed in-line type connection. Presently the WO 2008147230 barrier requires the connecting device in the form of a U-Shaped pin to be fully withdrawn before barriers can be adjusted to convert from a fixed in-line relationship between barrier sections to a pivotable relationship, or vice versa.
All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.
Throughout this specification, the word “comprise”, or variations thereof such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.